5 Perfect Places for Solo Travellers

I have never had a guest poster before. I was approached by Holiday Lettings to put an post up that I felt fit my readership. I was excited to try something different and this article is perfect for my new found love of solo travel!

Hope you enjoy it.

So you fancy taking off on your own but don’t know quite where to start? Holiday Lettings picks out some excellent cities for solo travellers, which will soon have you packing your bags.

New York, USA

With a population of nearly 8.5 million (and half reportedly living on their own), New York caters brilliantly for the solo traveller. In fact, eating out on your own is positively embraced. The city’s efficient subway and grid layout mean that you’re unlikely to get lost on your way there either.

Culture fans won’t want to miss the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s masterpieces, which include works by Jackson Pollock and Van Gogh. For breathtaking views of Manhattan’s iconic skyline, try the Top of the Rock Observation Deck in Midtown or cross over the bridge to Brooklyn and join a pizza tour.

Dublin, Ireland

Irish hospitality is legendary and, however high your expectations, Dublin is unlikely to disappoint. Whether you’re sampling Guinness in one of its famous pubs or singing along at a folk-music gig, there are lots of opportunities for you to get to know the locals. You’ll barely know you’re there on your own.

Stay in the Dublin spirit with tours of the Irish Whiskey Museum and the Guinness Storehouse brewery. And even when the party’s over, there’s still loads to do in the city. Pay your respects to literary greats and political giants at the Glasnevin Cemetery Museum or check out books where each page is made from thinly cut jade or ancient papyrus in the Chester Beatty Library

Reykjavik, Iceland

Don’t fancy being surrounded by canoodling couples? Quirky Reykjavik’s a terrific place to avoid romantic destination clichés. As a comparatively small island, it’s also easy to get around, which is a boon if you’re not the most confident traveller.

If you’re into cool architecture, then you’ll enjoy the volcano-meets-spaceship design of Hallgrimskirkja church in central Reykjavik – try and catch one of its terrific concerts. History buffs will appreciate exploring the past at the nearby Arbaejarsafn open-air folk museum. It’s also an easy journey to the Grotta Lighthouse, an excellent spot to see the stars twinkle against a pitch-black sky at the end of the day.

Sydney, Australia

Say “g’day” to the super-welcoming world of travel down under. From aboriginal walkabouts to backpacking trips, there’s a long tradition of solo outings here. This means that you won’t be short of new friends to share Australia’s fab experiences with. The only tough call is where to start – how about Sydney?

Top of your to-do list might be a walk through the nearby Blue Mountains or soaking up the sun and surfing along Banzai Beach. Next stop, a trip into the neighbouring Hunter Valley to sample different grapes in glorious settings. And you can’t possibly leave Sydney without joining a guided climb to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and taking in the magnificent views of the Opera House.

San José, Costa Rica

Whether it’s brushing up Spanish at a language school or volunteering for a wildlife project, Costa Rica offers the solo traveller plenty of projects to get involved with. There are also lots of group activities you could join, like hiking through the rainforest or white-water rafting.

San José is the perfect base to start exploring Costa Rica – the Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo is less than 20km away and offers hiking trails through jungle terrain. And adrenaline junkies won’t be able to resist hurtling 700m down the nearby Superman Zip Line Cable. If opera’s more your thing, look no further than the opulent Teatro Nacional Costa Rica back in the city centre.

Have you been to any of these places? Do these seem good solo destinations?